Music scene pulses with Syrian beat

Syrian rock bands fleeing war are finding safety and new fans in neighboring Lebanon, where they are revitalizing a Westernized scene with their focus on Arabic heritage.

Dozens of Syrian bands and independent artists have now become mainstays of the Beirut music scene, performing emotive and often bleak songs in front of concertgoers eager for fresh faces.

In a Beirut apartment, two members of Khebez Dawle, an alternative rock band from Damascus, practice surrounded by freshly hung laundry, balls of yarn and cups of tea.